Two Hampton gang members convicted of murder sentenced to more than 200 years in prison

HAMPTON — — It was murder that brought Tonja Thomas and Mary Needam together in a Hampton courtroom this week.

Their sons: Wynton Thomas and Thomas Needam III were killed a month apart in 2010.

It was in that same courtroom they say that a jury gave them justice Thursday by convicting two Hampton men of murder.

A jury found Jamel Carney, 23, and Dequan Estelle, 22, both guilty of first-degree murder. Carney was convicted of 14 felonies, including the Aug. 22, 2010 shooting death of Needam at Hampton Creek Apartments, and sentenced to 203 years in prison. Estelle was sentenced to 78 years in prison for shooting Thomas on July 16, 2010 outside of Harbor Square Apartments. Thomas died from his injuries a day later.

The guilty verdicts came on the fourth day of the trial and after about two hours of deliberations.

"The evidence was there," said Duane Needam, the brother of Thomas Needam. "The jury did their job."

Carney's convictions included murder, attempted robbery, racketeering, gang participation and firearms charges. He was sentenced to 75 years on the murder charge. Carney faced a mandatory minimum of 77 years in prison. Estelle was convicted of murder, racketeering and firearms charges. He was given 60 years on the murder charge. Estelle faced a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.

Both men said they were present at the murder scenes, but both denied committing the homicides.

Estelle testified Wednesday that he was at Harbor Square on the day of the shooting and ran when he heard gunshots. When arrested by police, he told them he was in Norfolk. A neighbor testified that he saw Estelle coming from the direction of gunshots on July 16 and putting a gun in his pants.

Carney and Estelle were members of the Nine Trey Gangstas, according to several witnesses who testified during the trial. Nine Trey is a Bloods gang that operated out of Harbor Square Apartments.

Estelle shot Thomas on July 16 because that is the day the gang was founded and members wanted to kill a member of the Crips, according to court testimony.

Needam was killed, with his sons in the home with him, when Carney and other gang members were trying to rob him of marijuana. A woman who is a former member of the gang testified that she saw Carney kill Needam.

Carney admitted to police that he was at Needam's apartment during the attempted robbery, but that the leader of the gang was the one who shot Needam.

"It wasn't enough to shoot him … no, he stepped into the apartment and fired at least two more shots," said David Holt, senior assistant commonwealth's attorney. "That's cold-blooded murder … that's an execution."